A Ways To Go
by dipdipdipmyblueship
Summary: A two-shot set during the August 2nd 2013 episode of Corrie. Carla is feeling down and closing herself off from Peter. Will he be able to break down her walls?
1. Chapter 1

_**A two-shot set during the August 2nd 2013 episode of Corrie.**_

_**Disclaimer: Characters are not mine, but the story is. **_

_**:)** _

* * *

"Okay, here we are: one large, strong coffee, with milk, no sugar!" Peter smiled softly as he reached over Carla's shoulder and placed the takeaway coffee cup from the café down on her desk. He was just itching to tell her about his run-in with Rob outside the café and his dig about the ex con's one person fan club. He chuckled to himself in anticipation as he moved around her chair to stand in front of her; it was only then that he noticed his fiancee's slumped shoulders and the death grip she held on the pen she was using to scribble down notes on an order. "You alright love?" He questioned curiously

"Me? Oh, yeah, fine," she responded, glancing up at him briefly and flashing him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, before continuing with her paperwork.

He knew she was holding back from him but about what he wasn't sure. Perching himself on the edge of her desk, he patiently waited for her to acknowledge him.

The minutes seemed to pass as slow as molasses with Carla showing no signs of wanting to open the lines of communication again. _'Stubborn woman of mine...'_ The thought tugged his lips upwards as he gently plucked the pen from her unusually shaky fingers.

With a defeated sigh she peeked up at him from beneath her lashes. Her gaze locked on her lover's for a long moment before she lowered her eyes to the fascinating paper tray lodged on her desk. She had long accepted the fact that Peter's eyes had a way of seeing straight into her soul, but on this particular occasion, it made her feel rather uncomfortable; like she was laid out before him unwillingly, naked and exposed. The thought made her shiver; she never felt this way around Peter before. After all, he was the only person to ever see her continuously at her most vulnerable.

But there, lost in her thoughts in the office at Underworld with him, her eyes still fixated on the papers on the metal tray and her chair swiveling ever so softly, she began to the comprehend her sudden discomfort around the bookie.

For months she had struggled to put back up her walls, the 'queen bitch' façade that Frank had managed to rip off of her as easily as he had her clothing that brutal night 681 days ago. Oh yes, she still counted the days. It was the only way she had been able to move forward since arriving back the second time from L.A…

'_One day at a time, love'_ she remembered Peter whispering to her in bed; holding her naked body to his own as they watched the clock beside them switch from 11:59 pm to 12:00 midnight on Christmas Eve. _'We'll get you through this, one day at time. And what better day to start then Christmas eh? You know, I reckon if we look out that window right now, we'd see the Christmas star, burning brightly in the night sky. Reminding us what this day represents: the beginning of a new age, of a new life…'_ She remembered his gentle kiss on her temple, knowing her tears were falling upon his bare arm that pulled her ever closer to him, _'one day at a time, love…'_

After the shock she received on Christmas morning and the knowledge that her lover could so easily cast her aside in a matter of days for his ex-wife, she promised herself she wouldn't allow her heart to be broken so ruthlessly by him. She began to build her walls up, trying to be close enough to him to not push him away, but distant enough that he also could not do the same to her.

But Peter was constantly one step ahead of her. He could read her so well; he knew when she started to lay her bricks and mortar, and was always there to break them down, whether quickly with a sledgehammer or agonizingly slowly, stone by stone with his fingers. He was the only person to see her as she truly was: no facade, no mask...and yet he still loved her. He loved her so damn much it terrified her. Surely this was the point she'd screw up their relationship somehow and have him running for the hills.

She always found herself alone after all...

Her eyes began to glisten under his watchful gaze and Peter felt his chest tighten as she continued to distance herself from him again. He knew what she was doing, and he hated that she continued to put herself through this inner turmoil over and over again. While he didn't care if she ever regained the ice queen front again, he did respect that it was important to her. But only if that mask was for the rest of the world; not for him. She wouldn't push him away, not now. Not when she clearly needed him to be strong for her as she had been for him in recent months.

With a furrowed brow and his lips pressing together, he softly brushed the backs of his fingers down her cheek, "hey," he whispered waiting until he had her full attention once more, "look I know I don't always come across as," he shrugged his shoulders as he muddled around for the right words, "sharp and intuitive but, if there's one thing I do know Carla, it's you. And I know that sommit has got you down love. So come on, please, just talk to me," he pleaded lovingly. When she still failed to respond, her eyes floating back down to the desk, he ventured a guess, "is it to do with this business with your brother and Tracy?"

"No," she shook her head and closed her eyes. She knew Peter wouldn't let it drop until she fessed up. Exhaling deeply, she raised her eyes to his once more, "I've just given Hayley some time off to go on holiday with Roy before her operation in a few weeks."

"And-?" He prodded, expecting something else to follow

"And," she stressed the word, her face straining as she tried to avoid saying how she really felt, "and I have to now appoint a new supervisor, and that means more paperwork and possibly hiring a new temp machinist and,"

"And even though you've been a rock and confidante to Hayley these past couple of weeks you still wish you could still do more for her," Peter finished knowingly

Carla sighed and leaned back in her chair, her gaze firmly fixed on her lover's gentle visage, " I just hate feeling useless Peter," she whispered.

"You've done more for her by giving her time off than anyone else could," he smiled as his fingers caressed her hair, tucking some behind her ear, "You're not useless, love."

She nodded her head but he knew it was just to placate him. He wanted to do something to cheer her up, to make her feel loved and, dare he say it, happy once more. But he accepted that he could do no more in this office at this moment in time.

An idea floated into his mind, and he smiled in spite of himself. Could he swing it? Of course he could. It was his day off after all. Rising from his seat he flashed her a comforting smile, "listen love, I'm going to go to Freshco's, buy us sommit for dinner tonight okay?"

"Okay," she smiled back at him, inwardly relieved that he was letting the conversation lie for the time being, "I won't be long after we close tonight."

He smiled, bending forward and pressing a kiss to her lips, "Make sure you aren't, I miss you when you're not there you know."

"I miss you too." She whispered back, her voice hoarse and thick. With a final caress of her hair Peter turned and left the office, grinning to himself and thoroughly proud as his plan visually unfolded in his mind.

When Carla walked into the flat tonight, she wouldn't know what hit her.


	2. Chapter 2

Peter placed the roast chicken on the dining table and slung the dish towel over his shoulder. He turned the plate it sat on three quarters to the left, stood back up and frowned before shaking his head and rotating the plate a quarter ways back to the right.

"Perfect," he exclaimed with a satisfied nod of his head. He turned and looked around, making sure the candles hadn't toppled over when he dashed to the table with the hot dishes balancing in his hands. He then tapped his pockets, ensuring the remote for the stereo was still there.

The sound of the downstairs door opening and closing indicated that Carla had finally arrived home, and just in time for his plan to be set into action.

'_Okay Barlow,'_ he told himself as he poured mineral water into the two goblets, all the while listening to the sound of his lover's heels climbing the steps to the flat, _'Operation Make-My-Baby-Smile has commenced. Pull out the big guns mate…'_

The door opened behind him but he kept his back to it, continuing to focus on pouring their drinks.

"What's all this?" Her voice glided across the room and washed over him causing a large grin to spread across his face. He loved the effect her voice had on him, especially certain body parts…

"You know," he responded turning slowly to face her, "you really should do some research on this thing it's called…" he snapped his fingers together and mockingly pretended to think, "romance! That's it," he smiled triumphantly at her as she faked a scowl in his direction, "_this_ love," he gestured with his palm to the spread of food decorated in the bathing glow of candlelight, "is what we call _romance_."

"Cheeky," she muttered as she dropped her purse on the floor and hung her leather jacket on the hook.

"Table for two m'lady?" Peter gestured to her seat with a flourished bow, pointedly ignoring the eyeroll she directed at him as she took her seat.

"This smells amazing Peter," she stated truthfully as a genuine smile tugged at her lips.

The bookie gently pushed her chair towards the table; but before taking his own seat, he carefully moved her hair to one shoulder and pressed a kiss to the exposed flesh of her neck, "you smell better," he whispered lustfully

He made his way across to his seat and tossed the dish towel behind him on the sofa. After dishing the food onto their plates he raised his glass towards her, "cheers love,"

"And to what are we toasting to?" she asked with a sweet smile as she lifted her glass as well

Peter's gaze locked lovingly onto hers, "to a long and happy life with the woman I love."

She could feel her heart swell at his words, and didn't realize she hadn't moved a muscle until Peter reached forward and clinked her glass with a chuckle. She was only able to smile lovingly at him in response before they dug into the sumptuous meal before them.

* * *

"Peter that was delicious," Carla said as she leaned back and rubbed her stomach.

"I think that's the most I've seen you eat in one sitting for a few weeks now love," Peter smiled.

"Well you cooked so I suppose I'll clean up," she said standing up and gracefully collecting their plates, "Don't think this means you've won though. I will convince you to let me buy us a slim line dishwasher eventually Barlow."

Peter chuckled as he watched her make her way into the kitchenette. "You uhh," he began quietly, pulling out the remote from his pocket in one swift movement, "you don't mind if I put on some background music do you love?"

"Not at all, but something we both recognize would be greatly appreciated grandpa," she stated playfully whilst turning on the taps.

"Oh I have it on good authority that you'll know this one," he smirked before clicking the play button

_**I didn't ask for this  
You give me heart attack**_

He saw her back stiffen and she stood up straighter then before as the words filled the small area of the flat.

_**I didn't want to care  
And then I saw you there**_

She bit the inside of her lip and turned her head slowly to glare at the man still seated at the table with a massive grin plastered across his face. "Nice, Peter," she scolded him in exasperation and embarrassment, "real smooth," she muttered as she turned back to the sink and continued to rinse the plates under the rushing water.

If it was possible Peter's smile simply widened at her reaction. He had heard her singing the song in the shower a few days back, enthusiastically so, he might add, if not entirely off-key. He had leaned against the doorframe listening to her singing, smiling to himself and had begun to pull his clothes off to join her under the hot water when her idiot brother began banging around in the bookie's below them, immediately killing Peter's arousal and sparking his anger. She wasn't aware that he had heard her obviously, not until just moments earlier. He pushed his chair back and rose to his feet, stalking towards her like a predator circling his prey…

_**Been working like a dog**_

_**I turned all my dreams off**_

He circled his arms around her waist, pulling her back tightly into his chest, his lips caressing her ear as he sang the next words between nibbling on her lobe.

_**I didn't know my name  
I didn't know my name**_

In spite of herself, Carla smiled and leaned back into his embrace, her earlier embarrassment now seeping away with every flick of her lover's tongue on her ear.

Peter began to sway his hips with the music, taking her along with him…

_**(I got a little bit longer) I got a ways to go  
(I got a little bit longer) I got a ways to go**_

He gently turned her towards him and pulled her out of the kitchenette by her hands all the while facing her, shaking his hips and singing along to the music.**_  
_**

_**(Oh I got a little bit longer) I got a ways to go-oh-oh  
Whoa oh oh (I got a ways to go)**_

He pulled her into him and began dancing with her around the living room, his hands guiding her arms around his neck before coming to rest his fingers above her hip bone

_**Even when I can't see my rear view  
Even if I call just to hear you  
Even when I sleep all day  
Even when I sleep all day  
Even if I wasn't like I'm times two  
Living in the back of a bunk just like we do  
Even when I dream all day**_

"I love your voice," he whispered in her ear, "off-key an' all"

_**Don't wanna sleep tonight…**_

She darted her tongue out at him and he leaned forward pretending to bite it,

_**You've got me feeling right**_

"Sing it for me again love, come on," he egged her on with a playful smile, his hands pushing her hips further into his own, "please?"  
She chuckled and sang along in a low voice…

_**I didn't know my name**_

'Louder baby, let me hear you!" Peter ordered her with a smile and then sang along with her, the both of them as off-key as the other,

_**I didn't know my naaaame**_

Letting out a loud laugh, he pulled her closer and spun her around to the music, their hips moving in tandem with each other

_**(I got a little bit longer) I got a ways to go  
(I got a little bit longer) I got a ways to go  
(Oh I got a little bit longer) I got a ways to go-oh-oh  
Whoa oh oh (I got a ways to go)**_

Just as Carla began to laugh loudly once more, his lips found hers, pressing a furious kiss to them. His hand raked through her hair, holding her head against his, his tongue slipping into her mouth and massaging her own.

_**Even when I can't see my rear view  
Even if I call just to hear you  
Even when I sleep all day  
Even when I sleep all day  
Even if I wasn't like I'm times two  
Living in the back of a bunk just like we do  
Even when I dream all day  
Even when I dream all day**_

They broke apart, resting their foreheads together as the instrumental break cocooned around them.

"She'll be alright Carla," he whispered gently, whilst still moving their bodies to the beat of the song,

"What if she isn't?" her voice was so small, so fragile that it nearly split him in half. He pulled back from her, gazing into her worried and glistening eyes.

Bringing his hand up he cupped her cheek, running his thumb across it to capture the fallen tear that escaped over her lashes, and with a reassuring smile he whispered, "one day at a time love," she sighed heavily as another tear cascaded down her cheek to his thumb, "one day at a time."  
She pulled him close to her, her cheek resting on his shoulder as his arms circled and hugged her body to his.

_**(Oh I got a little bit longer) I got a ways to go-oh-oh**_  
_**Whoa oh oh**_

Their pace lessened to that of a slow dance. Their bodies moving together as one, fusing their worries, fears, heartbreak and strength together. Resting her forehead on his again, Carla allowed Peter's lips to gentle dance with her own,

_**Even if I smoke in the back room  
Even if I go right to meet you  
Even when I sleep all day  
Even when I sleep all day  
Even if I wasn't like I'm times two  
Waiting for the day just to end so I see you  
Even when I dream all day  
Even when I dream all day**_

She knew he was right…

She just needed to take it one day at a time…

**The End**

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**Credits:**

**Song: Ways To Go by _Grouplove_  
**

**Book Cover by the Fabulous Noeme**


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